What is a walkability score?
A walkability score can include destinations, streets, safety, and comfort. NearbyIndex measures nearby destinations and states the limits of that narrower method.
NearbyIndex is a neighborhood infrastructure index. Walkability is one way to use its evidence, not the full definition of the product.
The short answer
NearbyIndex gives each point a 0–100 NearbyIndex scorefor amenity access. Shops, food, transit stops, clinics, schools, and parks count. Closer and more varied places increase the score.
It measures straight-line proximity, not the complete walking experience. It cannot confirm safe crossings, useful pavements, easy routes, accessibility, or comfort after dark.
How to read the number
| Score | Band | What it means day to day |
|---|---|---|
| 80–100 | Very high access | Many categories have several nearby places. This does not confirm safe or practical walking routes. |
| 60–79 | High access | Several daily amenity categories are close. Some categories can still have limited coverage. |
| 40–59 | Moderate access | Some daily amenities are close, but the category range is uneven. |
| 20–39 | Low access | Only a small set of daily amenities is close to the selected point. |
| 0–19 | Very low access | The source data contains few nearby daily amenities within the scoring radii. |
Why one city number is incomplete
Cities are not uniform. A dense historic centre and a sparse edge can produce one average that describes neither place well.
NearbyIndex reports the share of sampled points above each threshold with the median. The grid is not population weighted, and it can extend beyond a municipal boundary.
Amenity access across 10 reviewed cities
Each page includes local context, an official planning source, and a scoring-area warning. The table is sorted by the share of points that score 60 or more.
| City | Median score | Sample points 60+ |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | 79 | 86% |
| Paris | 77 | 86% |
| London | 76 | 86% |
| San Francisco | 69 | 84% |
| Barcelona | 87 | 80% |
| Kyoto | 74 | 76% |
| Florence | 74 | 75% |
| Berlin | 73 | 73% |
| Madrid | 75 | 69% |
| Rome | 68 | 59% |
The European city amenity access report adds score ranges, sample areas, category comparisons, local sources, and a limitation for every reviewed European city.
What goes into the score
NearbyIndex scores 8 categories of amenity and weights each by distance, so a shop 200 m away counts for far more than the same shop 1.5 km away:
- Groceries — within 800 m
- Restaurants & Cafes — within 600 m
- Public Transit — within 1000 m
- Healthcare — within 1500 m
- Education — within 1200 m
- Parks & Recreation — within 800 m
- Shopping — within 800 m
- Entertainment — within 1200 m
The full calculation, data sources and refresh cadence are on the methodology page.
Check a specific address
City samples are a starting point. One address usually matters more. Select any point to see its score and category breakdown.
What a walkability score cannot tell you
- Street quality. Pavement width, crossings, lighting, and traffic speed are not in the data.
- Terrain. A 15-minute walk uphill is not the same as a flat one.
- Quality of the amenities. Proximity counts a shop; it does not judge it.
- Safety and comfort. Neither is captured by counting what is nearby.
- Opening hours. A closed shop scores the same as an open one.
- Population weighting. Every city sample point has the same influence.
- Exact city boundaries. The inferred urban area can cross a municipal edge.
Common questions
What is a walkability score?
A walkability score combines several factors about walking. NearbyIndex measures one factor: straight-line access to eight categories of daily amenities.
What is a good walkability score?
A NearbyIndex score above 60 means the source data contains useful amenity access. Street conditions can still make walking difficult.
How is a walkability score calculated?
NearbyIndex counts amenities in eight categories and weights them by straight-line distance. City pages report results from an unweighted grid across a sampled urban area.
Is a city's walkability score the same everywhere in the city?
No. Results differ by selected point. City pages report a range and the share of sampled points above each threshold.
Can I check the walkability score of a specific address?
Yes. Select any point on the interactive map. NearbyIndex shows the location score and its amenity breakdown.